Mikhail Grigorenko at the NHL Draft Combine late last week.
Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press

The NHL Draft is rapidly approaching, and with the top-prospects in Toronto for the Draft Combine last week, excitement about the event is beginning to crest (especially in Edmonton). Between the upcoming draft, the hiring of Bob Hartley in Calgary, and the Oilers continued search for a head-coach: there were plenty of topics to discuss. Also, there's some meaningful hockey being played apparently, and something called "the Stanley Cup Final" gets a fair bit of air-time as well.

Our first guest is Hall of Fame hockey writer Terry Jones, who has been a busy man over the past few months covering the World Juniors, the World Championships and the Memorial Cup. Allan and Terry discuss the resurgence in the popularity of major junior hockey in the Edmonton sports market, Oilers head-coaching candidates and the possibility of Nail Yakupov bolting to the KHL (extremely slim).

Next up is Jason Gregor from OilersNation and the Jason Gregor Show. Allan and Jason discuss the Oilers offseason plans, including the draft and the search for a new coach. Sadly, they never get around to putting together a "ladies of the 70s and 80s" mock draft, despite repeatedly threatening to do so!

Timo Seppa of Bloomberg Sports and Hockey Prospectus checks in with a first hand report from the NHL combine. In particular, Allan and Timo shed some light on prospect interviews, and the psychological testing aspect of the combine.

Resident Grantlander Jonathan Willis stops by to break down the relative merits of various head-coaches the Oilers may look at hiring. Young Willis and Allan also talk about the Oilers options between the pipes, and discuss strategies to improve the Oilers anemic blue-line.

Nations Overlord Kent Wilson joins Allan to talk about inertia, and the recent hire of Bob Hartley as head-coach of the Calgary Flames. Kent and Allan also chat about the Stanley Cup Final and what, if anything, Pete DeBoer can do to stem the bleeding.

just seen that Anaheim was interested in Gagner and 2nd pick... hmmm... gagner + paajarvi + 2nd round pick for their 6th pick overall and 3rd round pick... if only murray or the other kid from Sarnia is left

I don't see why Columbus would do that unless there was something more involved as this deal gives Edm potentially 2 stars while Columbus gets a 40 point small center, a player who looks like he is going to be a bust and 1 potential star. But, who knows with Howson.

How is that an overpay Gary? Edmonton gets Murray and Johansen, 2 immediate starters and soon to be impact players for Yakupov (impact player), Gagner who plays major powerplay minutes and save for 2 weeks last year, did very little and a guy who can't crack the squad on the worst team in the league and who was benched in the American league. I think Edmonton would get the 2 best players in that deal. Overpay by Columbus in my opinion.

If Carolina is looking to move their pick for a top 6 forward that can play with Staal or their second line would there be anyone on Edmonton's roster other than (Hall, RNH and Ebs) that they would look at?

How about Hemsky?

I think we should seriously look at this opportunity if we do draft Yakapov because at #9 overall you might be able to get Griffin Reinhart.

If Carolina is looking to move their pick for a top 6 forward that can play with Staal or their second line would there be anyone on Edmonton's roster other than (Hall, RNH and Ebs) that they would look at?

How about Hemsky?

I think we should seriously look at this opportunity if we do draft Yakapov because at #9 overall you might be able to get Griffin Reinhart.

Thoughts?

Hemsky for the 9th overall is a possibility. Carolina has a history of trading with Edmonton, and one could argue that they owe Edmonton for the Pitkanen/Cole deal. If Tambellini could turn Hemsky into Reinhart many fans would be singing his praises (for the first time?)

If the Oilers could walk away from day one with either Yakupov or Galchenyuk and Reinhart, that would be a tremendously successful shopping day for Mr. Magnificent Bastard.

Here is another question though, might Anaheim or Minnesota, at 6th and 7th respectively, be good targets?

Would Paajarvi and Hamilton be enough to get Minnesota's attention?

I love Brownlee's suggestion of trying to acquire the picks necessary to get both Yakupov and Galchenyuk but Edmonton would have to have at least the 5th overall to get Galchenyuk and I don't know that Tambellini would be willing to part with the assets requested for that draft position.

Is that a picture of Grigorenko or did a homeless junkie wander into the combine looking to bum spare change? He needs a summer picking rock and throwing bales on a farm. Some meat and potatoes would help too.

My 1st choice in the draft would be Morgan Fairchild. I would pick her first in the laidies of the 70s/80s draft too.

Stevie,
Johansen is still 19, is almost 6'4 and over 200lbs. He played limited minutes last year on the 3rd and 4rth lines and put up 21 points. If you saw him at the Canadian Junior development camp in the summer, he was the best forward and much more impressive than RNH, Would you trade RNH for Gagner? Johansen has the ability to play through you or around you. You wouldn't risk an asset like that on Gagner.

With Nash wanting out of Columbus Johansen is a valued asset going forward. Besides I think Russian players and the CBJ's are not a great mix, therefore I were Howsen I would stay right clear of Yakupov.

Stevie,
Johansen is still 19, is almost 6'4 and over 200lbs. He played limited minutes last year on the 3rd and 4rth lines and put up 21 points. If you saw him at the Canadian Junior development camp in the summer, he was the best forward and much more impressive than RNH, Would you trade RNH for Gagner? Johansen has the ability to play through you or around you. You wouldn't risk an asset like that on Gagner.

Gagner dominated the super series at 17, and as a third liner with some second line time in the nhl as an 18 he put up 49 points. The team has been worse every subsequent year, so to say he should get better is arguable.

The only argument that stands here is that he is 6'4".

So in this trade we are giving up the best player, a pick considered to have much more value than the second and an extra prospect\player who has scored more in a season than Johansson and has size and speed, for a player\prospect who is big, and a lower value draft pick.

Thats an overpay. If Gagner were to be traded it would have happened by now. The only he or the 1st pick goes is if the other team overpays.

49 points as an 18 year old was a high for Gagner and that was 5 years ago. His development has stalled and he looks to be nothing more than he is. MPV is frightened out there and is entering the final year of his ELC. Considering he is not even in the NHL on the worst team in the league and often benched in the American league makes you concerned. ( looks like another Freddie Sjostrom) Johansen is a beast and considering that it takes a bigger player a little longer to develop often ( Joe Thornton), makes him too much of a risk to trade. Yakupov is the oldest player in the draft this year ( he was 5 days from being in last year's draft) and by most accounts did not show the same level of dominance as last year so is he as good as many hope in Oilerland?

49 points as an 18 year old was a high for Gagner and that was 5 years ago. His development has stalled and he looks to be nothing more than he is. MPV is frightened out there and is entering the final year of his ELC. Considering he is not even in the NHL on the worst team in the league and often benched in the American league makes you concerned. ( looks like another Freddie Sjostrom) Johansen is a beast and considering that it takes a bigger player a little longer to develop often ( Joe Thornton), makes him too much of a risk to trade. Yakupov is the oldest player in the draft this year ( he was 5 days from being in last year's draft) and by most accounts did not show the same level of dominance as last year so is he as good as many hope in Oilerland?

Johansen hasn't proven anything yet - asides from the fact that he's big and is a 20 point player... Gagner has gotten a minimum of 40 points per season (on the worst team in the league) is only 23 years old... You're trading a sure 40 point player for a 'what if'... Don't get me wrong - I'd love to see Johansen in an Oilers jersey - he has the size and really improved his game the last half of last season...

Simply put - Gagner is more proven than Johansen is right now... That's why the trade proposal is an overpay...

Also you're selling Pajarvi a bit short... Sure he struggled in Edmonton but Todd Nelson has said time and time again how he's improved in OKC and is playing top minutes.. He hasn't been benched nearly as often as you say.

Second - if Gagner's development has stalled, if Paajarvi is frightened and if Yakupov's skill isn't as dominant - why would Columbus even consider dealing Johansen then??

Is that a picture of Grigorenko or did a homeless junkie wander into the combine looking to bum spare change? He needs a summer picking rock and throwing bales on a farm. Some meat and potatoes would help too.

My 1st choice in the draft would be Morgan Fairchild. I would pick her first in the laidies of the 70s/80s draft too.

I always enjoy NationRadio. Thank you,Lowtide.

You could almost start a "place your own caption for that pic" kinda thingy here.